A Hunka, Hunka Burnin' Love

I have been honored to perform at many weddings over the years. But the wedding I performed at last Saturday had to have been the most unusual and heart stopping.

You see, the groom Gareth was the England. He met his Tennessee bride Meghan in New Zealand. They had a whirlwind romance and he decided to pick up everything and move to Connecticut where she was working to be near her.

Gareth contacted me over a year ago with exactly how he wanted my part to play out. He had all the details which made it easy for me. But his first request of me was a little odd. He asked that after they were pronounced husband and wife and were coming down the ailse that I sing "Burnin' Love".

First of all, I don't do that song in my show for obvious reasons. Married men usually don't proclaim to swooning women, "I'm a hunka, hunka burnin' love." But since this was a special request, and because really I was singing on behalf of Gareth, I made an exception.

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

I am so incredibly proud of my daughter Brittany. She has spent the past seven years earning her black belt. It took tremendous dedication and focus. This August she officially got her belt along with some other wonderful kids our family has grown to love. My boys even obtained higher belts during the Extravaganza event as they call it.

Elvis loved karate. The Army also introduced Presley to karate, which he studied seriously, later including it in his live performances. Elvis started in shotokan, earned his first black belt in chito-ryu, dabbled in tae kwon do, and than got a black belt in kenpo.

I think that is why he may have worn the jumpsuits as well. He wanted to be able to do his karate kicks in his Vegas shows.

You don't have to be Elvis to find your inner Elvis. Just have the confidence to try something new and focus your goal.

Marilyn Monroe in a Pink Convertible

All I knew was that my wife Buffie was planning a very special birthday weekend for me. She said to take the boys and go to a movie and be back at 4:15 sharp because our escort would be waiting.

I thought we were going to a concert from what my sister Debbie had let slip. I didn't know she was in on the gag.

Buffie is a pretty smart girl, but I didn't realize how clever she truly was. Sometime after 4:00, I was driving down my street on what had to be one of the hottest days this summer, I could see a blur of pink in the distance. And it wasn't coming from the surprise lilies in our yard.

In the most beautiful pink convertible I had ever laid my eyes on was Norma Jean herself - Marilyn Monroe waiving and flirting with me. In the back of my mind, "I'm thinking is my wife watching this?" Oh yeah, she planned this. I think.

The Night I Met Taylor Swift

It was right out of a Tim McGraw song:

When I saw her for the first time

She was standing there in the ticket line

And it all started right then and there

Oh, a sailer’s sky made a perfect sunset

And that’s the day I’ll never forget...

But this time it was me The Nashville Elvis, and the girl wasn't in a mini-skirt, but she was in a ticket line at the Green Hills Theater in Nashville. She may have had red lipstick, but I didn't notice. But I did notice she must have been 6" tall!

The theater had hired me to perform July 29, 2010 at the one-night-only "Elvis on Tour" movie. Hundreds of Elvis fans came out that night to see the movie.  Lots of ladies in their Elvis shirts and holding their Elvis purses took pictures with me before the show.

I would sing a few songs and poise for photos, and Buffie my wife was there because it was her birthday. What a great wife I have who was willing to share her birthday on a work night for me. As she was busy handing out flyers about me, I noticed she suddenly started making strange eye movements. I couldn't understand what she was trying to tell me.

I Just Give 'Em Away

Two things that endears me to Elvis are his spiritual roots and love of people. Elvis made a lot of mistakes in his life. But I have too. I choose, like many fans, to focus on the good things in his life and the many lives he touched and still touches through his music.

Because of Elvis' love of gospel music, he had the opportunity to sing with many popular gospel groups in his day. One of those groups was The Imperials. I had the privelege of meeting one of the group's members, Joe Moscheo.

Joe is an incredibly talented singer and author in his own right who recently wrote a book called, "The Gospel Side of Elvis". It was also made into a PBS documentary with the same title. I highly recommend the book and the movie because it shows Elvis in a whole new light and just how much he searched for the Lord and found peace in the music.

One of the funniest stories in Joe's book that I often tell at my shows is the time Elvis bought gold watches for every member of The Imperials. This wasn't just your average gold watch. Elvis never did anything average. These watches were valued at probably $5,000 a piece. And that was in 1969!

Well Joe graciouslly accepted his expensive watch and examined it closely. He couldn't help but notice it wasn't working. Everyone else's in the group worked but Joe's. Now Joe was in a dilema. Should he say anything about it to Elvis or just let it go?

An Indian Outlaw Came to My Door

Like many professional entertainers in Nashville, I had my share of part-time jobs until Elvis came along and I could work full time at a career I loved.

One of my many jobs involved being a doorman at the beautiful Opryland Hotel. It was there that I met lots of celebrities. Most were incredibly nice and only a couple were divas, thank goodness. I hate it when my bubble is burst by a famous person I admire acting like they are high falutin'. Only Jesus had that right and he didn't take it.

Anyway, as I was standing my post at the Magnolia Lobby up comes a very young Tim McGraw. This was Tim before Faith Hill, before 21 #1 hit songs, before 40+ awards, and before he became a big screen movie star.

The Tim I met was humble and a bit shy. He wasn't the confident country heart throb he is today. He had just released "Indian Outlaw" written by my buddy Tommy Barnes. It is still one of my favorite songs because of its great music and lyrics, especially the part about "In nothin' but my buffalo briefs, I got 'em standin' in line." Love that!

Love Those Red Hat Ladies

Last Fall I had the privilege of performing at the Southern Fried Festival in Columbia, TN. That is where I was introduced to the funnest group of women I have ever met.

These beautiful ladies, all over the age of 50, had one thing in common. They all had a zest for life! And the second thing they had in common was that they were all wearing red hats of all shapes, sizes and styles, along with red and purple attire.  They were flashier than Elvis! I loved those women because they were just like me.

"The Red Hat Society began as a result of a few women deciding to greet middle age with verve, humor and elan. We believe silliness is the comedy relief of life, and since we are all in it together, we might as well join red-gloved hands and go for the gusto together. Underneath the frivolity, we share a bond of affection, forged by common life experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for wherever life takes us next." - Sue Ellen Cooper, Queen Mother, Red Hat Society

They were fun and zany. But they weren't crazy.

Ray Walker & The Jordanaires - How Great Thou Art

Ray Walker of the legendary Jordainaires is one of the most generous men I know. He gives of his time whenever I've called him about Elvis trivia for my movie and enjoys setting the record straight about his good friend Elvis.

He is also a straight shooter and will tell you like it is. I think that is one of the reason Elvis liked Ray so much. Elvis was first introduced to the gospel group, The Jordainaires, when he was playing a show with Eddy Arnold in Memphis in 1955. 

After they sang "Peace In The Valley", a very young and unknown Elvis came backstage to meet them.  Elvis had just signed a deal with Sun Records at the time. His admiration for the group was so great because of listening to them for years on the Grand Ole Opry that he said, "If I ever get a recording contract with a major company, I want you guys to back me up."


True to his word, in 1956 when Elvis began recording with RCA he asked Chet Atkins to use the Jordainaires. He was the first artist to insist listing the backup singers on the labels of his records. This gave the Jordainaires a lot of notoriety.

They went on to record with Elvis for 15 years on his long string of hit records. They also appeared in some of Elvis's movies, and on many of his television appearances.

Ray Walker later joined the group in 1958. When Ray first met Elvis he put his hand out and said, "I'm Elvis Presley." Ray said, "I know who you are. I'm Ray Walker". To which Elvis replied, "And I know who you are."

The Original Dancing With the Stars

My late Uncle Jack Kenner was the original dancing with the stars professional dancer. In the 1960's when Elvis was busy in Hollywood filming movies, Priscilla Presley found herself with a lot of free time on her hands.

To help combat her boredom, she sought out my Uncle Jack to teach her how to ball room dance. Jack was very well know in the Memphis area as a terrific dance coach. Because of her natural talent and previous ballet experience as a young girl, Priscilla became a terrific dancer.

That is why when I saw her on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars", I knew she would be great. I was so proud how she overcame her nerves and showed the world that beautiful dance does not see age.

It is a personal expression in each one of us. Elvis became famous for his dance moves too. Elvis' Jailhouse Rock dance segment from the movie is legendary and considered by most to be the first music video. That was more than 20 years before anyone ever heard of MTV.

But to the Christian community, he was vulgar and a dangerous influence to teenagers. The Catholic weekly paper, "America", published "Beware Elvis Presley," an article calling his hip-shaking, "nauseating stuff ... not only suggestive, but downright obscene."

She's a Little Bit Country & I'm a Little Bit Rock-n-Roll

My big first crush after my 5th grade teacher was when I was 15 years old. Her family name was synonymous with all that was good to me. Her stage name was Marie Osmond. I say stage because her full name was Olive Marie Osmond named after her incredible mother.

Growing up just outside Detroit in Warren, Michigan I remember spending my Friday nights with Marie. That is I watched Marie religiously along with her brother Donny on the "Donny & Marie" show.


I was attracted to her sweet spirit and her sense of humor. And she met all my physical characteristics of beauty - brown hair and brown eyes. Plus she could sing! She was truly America's sweetheart at that time.

I'd spend hours in front of my bedroom mirror with a hairbrush singing "Puppy Love" or "Go Away Little Girl" as I dreamt of being Donny Osmond. Actually, I grew so in love with Marie that I wanted to marry her. So I couldn't exactly be her brother when you think about it.

As the years went by, my love for Marie continued. After I graduated from high school and went on to Michigan Christian College, I felt I strong desire to let Marie in on my plans.
In my young mind, I thought if I only could get to Utah and profess my love for her, she would want to marry me. So that is what I did, I packed up everything and moved to Provo, Utah.

Find Your Inner Elvis!

It was a frigid New Year’s Eve 1975 at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit. My destiny changed that night at the young age of 15. There on the stage was the legendary King of Rock-N-Roll – Elvis Presley. When one is in the presence of greatness, the moment is surreal.

I had been to many concerts growing up in Motown, but no one affected me the way Elvis did that night. As the 2001 Space Odyssey started playing and he entered the stage, my knees began to shake. I became just like ever other person in the audience, spellbound by his magnetism.

What kind of magic did he possess that caused this kind of reaction from people? Elvis was cool to men, and irresistible to women. No other man could pull off both.

It was that very night that I too decided to become an entertainer. I wanted to affect people like him. I had been singing since I was seven – mostly Donny Osmond songs. But it was Elvis that transformed me from singer to entertainer.

About Nashville Elvis Impersonator Chuck Baril

I am originally from Motown - a native of Detroit, Michigan, and it was there on New Year’s Eve in 1975 when my destiny was set. At the Pontiac Silverdome, Elvis performed an amazing concert to an audience of 60,000 screaming fans along with one young impressionable young man who decided that night that he too would become a singer.

I began singing as a young child and has sung and recorded many styles of music over the years. Three of the songs I have written and recorded have been played on 90 radio stations in 11 states. But I came back to his first love, Elvis’ recordings, because that is what I most and do best.

Me and my beautiful wife Buffie.

Having performed over 300 shows, I have great love and respect for Elvis along with the R&B influences of growing up in Motown. As a boy, I began singing spiritual hymns in church and has continued those early influences as a faithful Christian and member of the church where Ray Walker of the Jordanaires once served as song leader.

I truly want to bring honor to the legacy of the King. My great uncle, the late Jack Kenner, was a ballroom dance instructor in Memphis and used to give Priscilla Presley dance lessons.